Apple MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop

If you're an Apple fan, then the 13-inch MacBook Air is a no brainer. The lightest of the laptops we tested, this stylish system doesn't scrimp when it comes to performance, boasting the third highest scores in our test, along with good file transfer speeds and the quickest boot times of all the laptops in the bunch. Video playback wasn't as great (perhaps due to the Air's average graphics), and the audio isn't great either unfortunately. But if you're looking for a laptop that can last for an entire cross-country flight, the Air boasts enough battery life to get you there and then some. Plus the system is quiet, even when the fan is running, and it doesn't get too hot while you're working or it's charging. Unsurprisingly, when we asked our consumer testers to take a look at the Air, volunteers familiar with Macs found this laptop plenty easy to use, while PC aficionados thought there was a bit more of a learning curve. Still, across the board, they praised its easy navigation, great screen, and good typing experience with the Air's stylish backlit keyboard. (The only complaint: Turning the wireless on and off took a few steps.)

For those who remember when it first hit the market, the Air's big innovation was, and continues to be, its light and thin profile, especially impressive when you consider its generous screen size. Unfortunately, what gets sacrificed in the slimming of the system is its feature set. Apple eliminated the optical drive altogether (the argument there: as we increasingly download movies, music, and software from the Internet, CD and DVD drives will because obsolete) and the system's ports are limited to a couple USB inputs, a headphone jack, an SD card slot, and a Thunderbolt port (for connecting to compatible high-resolution displays, external storage devices, and more). The Air is best for those looking for a laptop that can travel; if you don't have a lot of peripheral devices like an external keyboard and mouse, and you'll always have access to wireless, you should do just fine with this capable MacBook.